The 1895 Earthquake in Ljubljana: Catastrophe and Impetus for the Modernization of the City

The strongest earthquake in the history of the city hit Ljubljana, which was the center of the Austrian province of Carniola (Kranjska), in 1895. It destroyed many buildings and caused severe damage to the residents. This catastrophe is considered an important milestone in the history of Ljubljana. Having passed it, Ljubljana turned from a rather backward provincial town into a rapidly developing modern city, which establishing itself as the national and cultural center of the Slovenes. It was possible to cope with the consequences of the earthquake only with the help of the combined efforts of the government of Austria-Hungary, provincial and city authorities, various public organizations and individuals as well as wide international support rendered to the residents of Ljubljana. Of importance is the question what mechanisms of assistance to the city were involved in order to achieve not only the restoration of Ljubljana but also its radical transformation and subsequent prosperity in the future. The article discusses a number of aspects of this problem, which make it possible to characterize the significance of that event in the life of the city: the perception of the catastrophe by its residents, the priority measures taken to eliminate its consequences, the fundraiser in support of Ljubljana as well as the subsequent activities of the Municipal Council of the city, which largely determined the ways of its further development. Based on interdisciplinary research by Slovenian scientists, materials from the Slovenian press published in Ljubljana, the Historical Archive of Ljubljana, and eyewitness accounts, the author seeks to recreate a fairly complete picture of the life of the city during the disaster and in the first months after it.

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